BULLET PENCILS OF THE 314th INFANTRY A.E.F.

These bullet-shaped pencils were sold as souvenirs and given out as a "Thank-You" for donations to the 314th.

I learned from this site that
the bullet pencil "came about during the civil war.
Soldiers would stick a pencil in the end of used rifle cartriges
so the tips would not break off while the pencil was stuck in their packs."

(click for full-size image)

The oldest pencil has a slightly narrower neck, and a slightly longer top (23 mm versus 19 mm)

The oldest pencil also does not have the smaller center circle on the bottom, indicating where the primer would be.

A few have erasers, but note that these are the ones with a steel rather than brass neck.

(click for full-size image)

I believe the original pencils were round, the replacement pencils have the more modern six-sided cross-section.

(my newest acquisition, with a unique red-painted neck, the body including under the paint is brass not steel)

Here is an interesting advertisement from the 1948 Reunion Booklet, on page 42 listing the company manufacturing/selling the Pencils to the 314th: